by Melanie Moore Krogman.
Do you dream of living in a beautiful brick Victorian house? Take advantage of this rare opportunity to save this house sitting on the hillside above the Des Moines River. No. 706 5th St. in Bonaparte, Iowa is an absolute JEWEL that is in need someone to love it again! All that you get for the price of $99,900 (yup, for all 4,308 sq. feet) far outweighs the areas that are in need of repair.
The roof and porches require restoration to maintain the integrity of the interior, but that’s a small price to pay to call this magnificent home your own. Imagine living in a house surrounded by such magnificent features as a grandiose oak staircase, red oak hardwood floor, fireplaces, stained glass windows and more.
Robert Meek and his brother Isaiah built and ran a successful woolen mill. They added a pants factory making blue and gray pants for Civil War soldiers. In 1865, Robert began construction on this large Victorian home overlooking the mill and river. In the home, a large oak staircase rises from the living room to the grand hall on the second story where there are seven bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Robert and his wife, Abigail, made their home a welcome and congregating place for the community. In the fall after harvest, they even held Victorian balls in the grand ball room located on the third floor!
If the home itself isn’t enough to tempt you, listen to this: You will be sitting on 2.2 acres that includes fruit trees and grapevines in your backyard! Whether a bed & breakfast, reception hall, or beautiful getaway, breathe new life into this house by making it yours! A big thank you to Barb Hendricks Boley at Mossy Oak Properties, Boley Real Estate for the pictures and information. Contact Barb at Mossy Oak Properties or [email protected] to schedule your personal showing!
AUTHOR MELANIE MOORE KROGMAN
Born and raised in Iowa, Melanie’s mother and father both grew up on family farms where the old houses (mostly American Foursquares) were more often than not built by family and handed down to later generations. She remembers trips into town looking out the window of the back seat of the car admiring the Grand Victorian houses on the hills overlooking the river.
Melanie has a degree in Art Education from South Dakota State University. She has taught visual art and art history for 18 years. Besides teaching, she stays busy with her three kids, Kyle, Karlee and Caden along with the family dogs, Gus and Buddy. She can still be seen going through historical districts, but now she’s in the driver’s seat! She is super excited to contribute to CIRCA and hopes to help save some old houses!
